About the author

Genciano “Nandy” Dagondon is the first manager of Camiguin Telephone Cooperative. During the pre-operation phase, he was hired by GTZ (now GIZ, the German government agency charged in the implementation of projects) in 1992 as the Local Project Coordinator. This consultant position is usually filled by a German telecom expert. He worked closely with GTZ consultants based in GTZ headquarters. CAMTECO network started operation in February 12, 1994.

During his term until 1998, aside from managing the operation, these are some of his contribution and achievements to the project:

Right-of-way negotiations for the towers and telephone posts

Developed a module of the billing software

Established dial-up Internet connection with The E-mail Company with the PH ccTLD (country code top-level domain) administrator Joel Disini

Setup an email server in 1985

Planning of the first network expansion in 1986 (upgrading of Alcatel-SEL (now Alcatel-Lucent) S12 digital telephone exchange, additional latter-generation of TDMA system and the expansion of OLP [outside line plant aka cables])

Setup the office LAN (Local Area Network)

Prior to the Camiguin Project, he was mainly in semiconductor manufacturing. After taking the ECE board examination in 1981, he was hired as a Training Specialist in Fairchild Semiconductors (HK), Ltd. in Mactan Export Processing Zone, Lapulapu City. He handled the Apprenticeship Training Program as Assistant Instructor to college-level youths. Subjects he handled include DC/AC Electronics, Semiconductors, Basic Electronics, Digital Electronics, Microprocessors and Operational Amplifiers. The program was so successful that the trainees became highly successful in pursuing their own career. To mention the top-notch in the class, one is now a Deputy Chief Pilot of PAL Airbus 340, a Maintenance and Design Engineer of Test Systems, a Wafer Fab Engineer, an Operations Managers, a Maintenance Manager and the rest handled Instrumentation and Control projects both in the Philippines and abroad.

With his (first) experience in training, he conducted training lectures to new engineers and technicians in instrumentation and process control, digital electronics and operational amplifiers to support the continuing education program.

His interest in software started during the Microprocessors module in the training program. He applied assembly language in Manufacturing Engineering projects. He got hooked in Unix operating system through a subscription of EDN, a magazine of electronic designers. He finally had a chance to install SCO Xenix386 for the computerization program of Cebu City Civil Registrar’s Office in 1989. In his spare time, throughout his telecom career, he kept on tinkering with networking and Linux.

After CAMTECO, he was hired by Islacom as Transport Network (exchanges and transmission) Manager of Islacom’s fixed-line telephone network covering the Visayas region. After 1 year of service, Islacom was bought by Ayala and merged into Globe @Tattoo Landlines.

After his corporate career, foreseeing the emergence of VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) as the next wave of Internet, he researched and developed telephony applications based on Linux – Asterisk and FreeSWITCH. Unix/Linux had become his lifetime passion. Currently, he is offering the following services and products:

He finished Electronics and Communications Engineering at Don Bosco Technical College (Mandaluyong City, Philippines) in 1981 and passed the board examination given the same year.

Recently, he was tapped by the Camiguin Telephone Cooperative as an Engineering Consultant and System Integrator. In March 2017, he restored the telephone service of Tupsan area by installing a new system using the MagicBox Softswitch. It is a pilot project to restore the other affected areas in Guinsiliban, Sagay and Lawigan (Catarman). This system will eventually replace the aging Alcatel S12 Legacy Telephone Exchange donated by the German government. His vision is to guide CAMTECO back into competition and to bring more products and services (e.g. cellphones); and to expand the network across the mainland (from Balingasag to Magsaysay, Misamis Oriental).

His free time interests include tinkering with audio hi-fi systems, listening to wide variety of music (jazz to classical) and flight simulation. He still plays vinyl LPs.